Open-link chain.



G. L. LAMB.

OPEN LINK CHAIN.

APPLIOATION FILED 0015, 1909.

Patented Sept. 13,1910.

n: co-. WASHINGTON. 0. c.

GEORGE L. LAMB, OF NAPPANEE, INDIANA.

OPEN-LINK CHAIN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 5, 1909.

Patented Sept. 13, 1910.

Serial No. 521,159.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE L. LAMB, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of Nappanee, county of Elkhart, in the State ofIndiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Open-Link Chains,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to open-link chains for suspending purposes inthose light fixtures known as electric and gas domes, such chains beingin common so constructed as to inclose within the chain and lengthwisethereof electric conductors or a pipe or tube for gas, as well as toprovide for making the chain of the exact length required for a givenlocation by the use of a greater or less number of successivelyattachable open links.

The present invention consists in certain novel combinations of parts,in an open link of novel construction, and in an improved open-linkchain embodying such combinations or such links or any of them, ashereinafter described and claimed.

The leading objects of this invention are to render the open linkspermanently open so as to facilitate attaching or detachin links asrequired, and to render the open enc of each open link securely fastenedwhen the chain is under tension in use without extraneous means andwithout the aid of tools.

Other objects will be set forth in the gen eral description whichfollows.

A sheet of drawings accompanies this specification as part thereof.

Figures 1 and 2 are perspective views respectlvely of the top link andan open link of the improved chain; Fig. 3 represents a longitudinalsection through the upper portion of the chain as it appears in use;Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line A-A, Fig. 3; and Figs. 5, 6 and 7are small scale views illustrating the manner of attaching the openlinks.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in all the figures.

The improved open-link chain is composed of a top link, a (Fig. 1) andany required number of open links, 5 (Fig. 2); said open links beingpreferably and conveniently of one and the same construction andpattern.

A central passage for the electric conductors, 0, Figs. 3 and 4, or fora pipe or tube for gas, is common to the series of links, and twoportions thereof, 1 and 2, are formed in the respective ends of the toplink a. Such conductors, pipes, or tubes do not, however, interact withthe links as fastening means, but are loosely inclosed within the chainat all points.

The upper end of said top link a is provided with one member, 3, of ahook and clevis suspending device, or its equivalent, through the shankof which the upper portion, 1, of said central assage extends; and thelower end of the link is provided with said portion 2 of the centralpassage in the form of a round hole having diametrically oppositenotches, 4, in line with the opening throu h the body of the link.

Eaai of the open links b has the slit, 5, by which the link is renderedopen in its upper end; a substantially round hole, 2, constructed andarranged to aline with said hole 2 in the bottom of the top link a orany adjoining link, is crossed by said slit 5; and a pair of downturnedlugs, 4, constructed and arranged to enter and interact with saidnotches 4 in'the bottom of the top link or of any adjoining link, areformed within the respective parts of said hole 2. See Fig. 2.

The lower end of each of the open links I) is or may be identical withthe lower end of the top link a, having a central hole 2 provided withdiametrically opposite notches 4 in line with the opening through thebody of the link.

The sides, 6, of all the links may be and preferably are flat orsubstantially flat and parallel with each other.

The body of the top link a and the open links I) in common may be formedfrom fiat metal or thin bars by punching and bending operations, andsaid lugs 4 may be formed by means of portions of the metal out fromwithin the holes 2'.

The suspension member 3 may be cast fast on the upper end of the toplink a; and the lower end of the bottom link (not shown) may be providedwith a like suspension member, or attached to the suspended object inany known or improved way.

When the links are assembled and the chain is in use in Figs.3 and 4:,the links I) are self-attached to the top link a and to each other, andthe conductors c or their equivalent extend lengthwise therethrongh. Ifdesired the lugs 4 may be clenched so as to prevent the separation ofthe links, but with the chain in tension, as in use, the open end ofeach open link is securely fastened by the interaction of said lugs 4with the notches 4 of the adjoining link without clenching the lugs.

In assembling the links to form a chain it is only necessary to engagethe open end of one of the open links I) with one of the flat sides 6 ofthe top link a or any adjoining link, as shown in Fig. 5 and in fulllines in Fig. 6, moving the open link 6 endwise, for example, asrepresented by the arrow. a, until the open end clears the interactingsides 6, as represented by the dotted lines in Fig. 5; and then to turn.theopen link Z2, .as represented by the arrows b and '0, first into theposition in which it is shown in. dotted lines in Fig. 6 and full linesin Fig. 7 and then .into line with the superjaoent link or links, asrepresented by the dotted lines in Fig. 7.

The shape :and proportions of the several links a and b may be varied,so long as the construction above described is not interfered with; thesides 6 of all the links may be ornamented if desired, and other likemodifications will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

Having thus described said improvement, I claim as my inventionanddesire to patent under this specification:

1. The combination, in an open link chain,

of a link having in a closed end thereof a passage-forming hole providedwith .diametrically opposite notches in line with the, opening throughthe body of the link, and an adjoining link having an, open end providedwith a passage-forming hole crossed by the slit of the link and withlugs at the sides of this hole formed and arrangedto enter and interactwith said notches as means for rendering said open end fastened when thechain is under tension.

2. An open link for chains havinga closed end, a hole in said closed endprovided with diametrically opposite notches in line with the openingthrough the body of the link, a

assage-forming hole in its open end crossed by the slit of the link anda pair of lugs at the sides of this hole formed and arranged to enterand interact with such notches in the closed end of an adjoining link.

3. An open link chain having, in combination, a top link constructedwith one member of a hook and clevis suspension device at its upper end,a passage-forming hole within the shank of said suspension device and aclosed lower end having therein a passageforming hole provided withdiametrically opposite notches in line with the opening .through thebody of the link and subjacent open links attachable to said top linkand to each other in succession and each constructed with apassage-forming hole in its upper end crossed by the slit of the linkand a pair of clown-turned lugs at the sides of this hole constructed.and arranged to enter and interact with said notches of thepassageforming hole in the bottom of said top member and with thenotches of like passage-forming holes in the lower ends of the openlinks adjoining the same respectively,

substantially as hereinbefore specified.

GEORGE L. LAMB. Witnesses P. A. EARLY, OLLIE HEPLER.

